Tuesday, January 27th, 2009

Career Change During Recession

One of the ways to cope with recession is considering a career change. Not too many likes the idea of changing careers during a downturn. However, if you have already felt the effect of recession –- say you’ve been laid off — why not give a different career path a chance?

There are some industries that have workers feeling more confident that even if they get fired, the demand is so great that finding another job would be very easy.

So how do you choose a career that’s right for you during a recession? Here are some recession-proof careers that are worthy of consideration:

1. Education

There is a great shortage of teachers. No matter how down the economy is, teachers will always be in-demand. Children will continue to go to school. Also, lots of unemployed adults may decide to further their education. Although teaching is not one of the highest-paid careers there is, making only about $30,000 to $45,000 a year, people will still settle for a career that does not earn more because they are tired of being unemployed for a long time. This is especially true for those who would want to try something new anyway or those who despise the roller-coaster rid that a corporate life offers.

2. Healthcare

Job hunters with Information Technology background are said to be a good fit to the healthcare industry – particularly nursing. This is because Nursing is an information-driven career. And, it is one useful career during a recession because healthcare is an industry that does not usually get affected during these times.

3. Auditing

Auditors are also usually unaffected by downturns. In a recession, individuals and firms are more probably doing their best to get more deductions. More people are monitoring their books, so the demand for auditors or accountants is much greater.

4. Energy and Utilities

Energy consumers may cut back, but the consumption will not stop. The same with utilities, people will still light their homes. So, jobs like maintenance and utility administration prove to be more stable than others during a recession.

5. Pharmaceuticals

As long as physicians prescribe drugs, people are still going to take them. This means that if you are working as a pharmacist or as a quality assurance analyst in pharmaceutical laboratory, you are in good hands.

6. Military

Since the military is always hiring, particularly during wartime, during a recession soldiers will not be that affected.  Serving the military also means that most of your living expenses will be covered.

7. Security

Recession does not stop crime. With the increase in layoffs, more people are considering robbing banks and doing other crimes. So, the need for security workers becomes greater.

8. Environmental Sciences

The convenient truth is that the eco-friendly trend is not going anywhere. This means that choosing a career in environment-care-related industries can be a good career choice.

9. Government

Working for the government can be one of your best choices during this downturn. This is because many stable jobs can be found in the federal government. The government will not cease from functioning even during crisis.

With that variety of career choices, it will not be that difficult to find one that will save you from this economic situation.

Wednesday, April 30th, 2008

Are You Considering A Professional Resume Writer?

Professional resume writers are services you need to consider when your resumes don’t result in job interview invitations. Most resume writers usually ask you one question to determine whether you need their services: are you getting interviews for the types of jobs you want when you submit your resume? If you aren’t, they say that you need to call in the professionals.

However, a resume writer’s services can be quite expensive, so you may want to consider a few other factors before hiring help.

Check if there are any basic improvements you can make. If you haven’t had a chance to proofread your own resume yet, do so. Just double-checking your spelling and grammar may be enough to catch the reason that you aren’t getting many callbacks.

Make sure that your resume is geared towards the type of career you want. Especially if you are changing careers, your resume may reflect skills and a work history that doesn’t focus on the type of job you are looking for now. Consider making a list of the ideal abilities of someone in your dream job, and then reworking your resume to show that you have these skills.

Focus on describing your accomplishments. Your accomplishments will set you apart from other applicants, and can clearly show a potential employer why they should hire you.

If you are still having trouble, though, it may be time to seek professional help. Many resume writing services can truly improve your resume and help you find the job that you want. However, keep in mind that paying a professional resume writer doesn’t guarantee that your resume will land the perfect job. Instead, a good resume is just an edge in your competition with other applicants.

There are also plenty of individuals who look for work as resume writers but cannot provide you with the help that you need. It can be hard to find a reliable resume writer. While professional services may seem high, using a low-priced service can actually be a problem. Extremely inexpensive resume writing services may be little more than scams.

At the minimum, you want to work with a resume writer who is easy to contact, can provide you with samples of both resumes and cover letters, and provides their costs in writing ahead of time. You may also want to work with a resume writing service that offers additional services, such as job search consultation and interview preparation.

You might want to consider choosing your resume writer through the Professional Association of Resume Writers (PARW). PARW maintains a list of certified resume writers, and their certification has come to be considered the industry standard. So, if you are considering a resume writer with a simple Internet search you can locate the resume writing service you plan to work with.